Elongated hold down and barrier device

ABSTRACT

A ground cover hold down device that includes a flexible elongated bladder made of durable, U-V resistant, coated vinyl capable being rolled into a compact rolled configuration for storage and unrolled to form an elongated expanded bladder capable of being filled with water. Formed on the top surface of the bladder is at least one filling port that allows the worker to fill the bladder with water. Located along two longitudinal edges of the bladder is a plurality of laterally extending eyelets. Each eyelet is made of rigid PVC and designed to remain laterally extended as the bladder is filled with water and assumes an oval cross-sectional configuration. A stake is then extended through each eyelet to hold the bladder in place over the ground cover. The bladder also includes a drain plug located at the opposite end of the bladder so that the water may be selectively removed from the bladder.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of the utilitypatent application (Ser. No. 11/036,633) filed on Jan. 13, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to devices that can act as ground cover holddowns or water runoff barriers, and more particularly to such devicesthat are filled with water and used on flat and sloped surfaces.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, wind and water erosion control have become important issues inthe construction industry. Many municipalities have promulgatedregulations or ordinances that require construction companies to coverexcavated dirt placed in a pile more than 72 hours with a sheet-likeground cover. Such ground covers are spread out over the pile and thentypically held down by sandbags, stakes and ropes. Many municipalitieshave also promulgated regulations or ordinance that requires contractorsto control the flow of rain water and flooding around and from theconstruction site. As a result, construction companies spendconsiderable amount of time filling and placing sand bags at differentlocations over ground covers and around the construction site to controlrain water runoff and flooding. When the dirt pile is removed or whenthe construction site is being cleaned, considerable amount of time isspent picking up and emptying the sandbags and removing excess sand fromthe construction site.

What is needed is a device that can be easily and quickly setup and usedas a hold down device for a ground cover or used as a dam or barrier tocontrol runoff rain water at or around a construction site. What is alsoneeded is such a device that can be stored in a compact configurationand then setup by filling the device with water that acts as an expanderand as a weight. What is needed is such a device where its shape can beeasily manipulated or altered and then fixed in alternative shapes todirect runoff rain water in different desired directions. What is alsoneeded is such a device that enables the water to be easily drained fromthe device so that the device may be returned to its compactconfiguration for storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above stated needs are met by the elongated hold down device andadjustable barrier disclosed herein that comprises a flexible, elongatedbladder capable of being rolled or folded into a compact configurationfor storage and then unrolled or unfolded into an extended configurationwhen used. The bladder is made of water tight material intended to befilled with water. Formed on one end of the bladder is at least onefilling port with a removable cap or plug attached thereto that allowsthe user to selectively fill the bladder with the water. Formed on theopposite end of the bladder is a drain port with a cap, plug or two wayvalve. The bladder is made of a sufficient flexible material so it maybe bent to form a straight or curved elongated weight or folded over toshorten and adjust its overall length. Stakes are used to hold thebladder when filled with water in its desired shape and length and in afixed position over the ground.

As stated above, the bladder may be used as a hold down device or as arain water runoff barrier. In some situations, it may be used for bothpurposes. Initially, the bladder is unfolded and placed in a flatconfiguration over a surface to be protected with the filling and drainports facing upward and the eyelets on the opposite longitudinal edgesextending laterally. The bladder may be aligned in a straight or acurved configuration. The bladder may also be folded under at anyposition to shorten its overall length.

Once the general layout of the bladder is established, the filling portis opened and the drain port is closed and the stakes are then selectedand inserted through the eyelets. Normally, the stakes are partiallyimbedded into the ground to loosely hold the bladder in place as wateris added to the bladder. As water is added to the bladder, the bladderslowly expands from a flat configuration into a tubular configurationthat is oval in a cross-sectional configuration. Because the stakes areonly partially embedded into the ground, the eyelets are able to slideupward over the stakes as the bladder expands. When the bladder has beenfilled with the desired volume of water, the filling port is closed andthe stakes are further driven downward through the eyelets to securelyhold the bladder in place.

To remove the device, the drain plug is opened so that the water mayflow through the bladder. When a two way valve is attached to the drainport, an air pressure line may be attached to the valve to deliver airto the bladder to force the water in the bladder back through thefilling port and into a storage tank.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of ground cover hold downdevices placed over a ground cover that covers a sloped surface.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device being curved and being as a holddevice and as a rain water runoff barrier.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side elevational view of the device taken alongline 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of an eyelet attached to the side of thebladder.

FIG. 6 is a sectional side elevation view of the eyelet taken along line6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional side elevational view of the drain portshowing a threaded plug being inserted into the drain port or a two wayball valve being inserted into the drain port.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a sloped surface covered by a groundcover with three devices being assembled over the ground cover.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a section of the bladder showing astake inserted through an eyelet as the bladder is filled with water.

FIG. 10 is a sectional side elevational view of two deviceslongitudinally aligned and connected together with a connection hose.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to the FIGS, there is shown a ground hold down device 10herein that comprises a flexible elongated bladder 12 capable of beingrolled into a compact roll for storage and then unrolled into anextended configuration for use. The device 10 is designed to be used asan elongated weight to hold down a ground cover 90 or as a dam orbarrier for controlling rain water runoff 92.

The device 10 includes an elongated bladder 12 made of durable,flexible, water-proof material designed to be used outdoors in a widerange of hot and cold climate conditions. In the preferred embodiment,the bladder 12 is rectangular, approximately 10 to 32 feet in length and6 to 12 inches in width. When the bladder 12 is filled with water 80,the bladder 12 is cylindrical and oval in cross-section as shown inFIGS. 4 and 6. In the preferred embodiment, the bladder 12 is made of asingle panel 14, which is the two longitudinal edges 16, 18 are thenoverlapped and adhesively or radio frequency welded together. The twoend edges 20, 22 are folded over the bottom surface of the bladder 12and adhesively or radio frequency welded together so that the bladder 12forms a water-tight structure.

Evenly spaced apart and formed on the two opposite longitudinal edges16, 18 of the bladder 12 are reinforced, lateral extending eyelets 25.In the preferred embodiment, each eyelet 25 includes a semi-circularbody 26 perpendicularly aligned on a flexible base 27 adhesively orwelded to the outside surface 13A of the bladder 12. The semi-circularbody 26 is centrally aligned with the bladder's midline axis 23 and astake hole 30 is formed therein that is perpendicularly aligned with thebladder's lateral, midline axis 23. The flexible base 27 is sufficientlyflexible and rigid so that the bladder 12 when filled with water 80expands into an oval cross-section configuration. In the preferredembodiment, the eyelets 25 are spaced apart on the opposite edges 24 to48 inches.

Located on one end of the bladder 12 is a filling port 35 with aremovable cap 40. In the preferred embodiment, the filling port 35includes a neck 36 with external threads 37 formed thereon thatinterconnect with internal threads 42 on a removable cap 40. The threads37, 42 must be compatible and may be standard pipe threads or a hosethreads. In the preferred embodiment, the neck 36 is made of PVC and isadhesively or welded to the inside surface 13B of the bladder 12. Theneck 36 has an inside diameter of approximately 1 inch so that when theend of a standard ½ or ⅝ inch garden hose inserted into the neck 36, agap is created that allows air to escape from the bladder 12 when beingfilled with water.

Attached to the opposite end of the bladder 12 is a drain port 50. Thedrain port 50 may be identical to the filling port 40 as shown in FIG. 4or it may be a flush mounted structure as shown in FIG. 7 with an inwardextending neck 52 with a central threaded bore 51 as shown in FIG. 7.The neck 52 is attached to a flange 54 that is adhesively or welded tothe inside surface 13B of the bladder 12. A T-shaped threaded plug 55with a threaded neck 56 or a two-way ball valve 60 with a threaded neck62 may be attached to the threaded bore 51.

An optional tether line 68 may used between the connect and the plug 55to the drain port 50.

As mentioned above, the bladder 12 is designed to be stored in a flat,compact rolled, configuration when not in use. When the bladder 12 isused, it is aligned in a straight or curved configuration over theground cover 90 so that the filling port 40 and drain port 50 faceupward. The bladder 12 is aligned so that the filling port 40 ispositioned at a higher elevation than the drain port 50 so that water 80when poured into the filling port 40 flows downhill and fills thebladder 12. The eyelets 25 on each side of the bladder 12 extendlaterally.

Stakes 70 are then selected and inserted through each eyelet 25 andpartially forced through the ground cover 90 and into the ground surface100. As water 80 is added to the bladder 12, the eyelets 25 on each sideof the bladder 12 are forced upward as the bladder 12 becomes oval inthe cross section. To accommodate this expansion, the stakes 70 are onlypartially driven into the soil so that the eyelet 25 may slide upwardover the stake 70 during the filling process. Once filled, the workercan then force each stake 70 downward through eyelet 25 to tightly holdthe bladder 12 over the ground cover 95. On steep slopes, water 80 maybe added to the bladder 12 when it is in a partial rolled configuration.As water 80 is added to the bladder 12, the bladder 12 automaticallyunravels itself over the slope as shown in FIG. 8. The worker theninserts stakes 70 into each eyelet 25 and drives them through the groundcover 95 and into the ground surface 100.

As mentioned above, the device 10 may be used as a dam or barrier. Forsuch use, the bladder 12 is oriented in a flat configuration and thenbent or curved in a desired configuration to deflect rain water runoffas shown in FIG. 2. The stakes 70 are then selected and then inserted toeach eyelet 25. Water 80 is then dispensed through the filling port 35.The amount of bending of the bladder 12 must be limited so that water 80may flow through the area that is narrowed and restricted. The stakes 70may be forced completely into the ground so that bladder 12 remains in abent or curved shape when filled.

On a sloped ground surface where water 80 from the bladder 12 may bedesirable or permitted, the plug 55 may be manually removed from thedrain port 45 to allow the water 80 from the bladder 12 to flow directlyonto the ground cover 90 or onto the surrounding ground surface 100 ordrainage system. On a water sensitive ground surface 100, a two way ballvalve 60 as shown in FIG. 7, may be used that connects to a pressurizedair line 89 that forces the water 80 from the bladder 12 through thefilling port 35 to a storage tank (not shown). Also, the device 12 maybe sold as a kit with a short connection hose 100 with threadedconnectors 102, 102′ at its opposite ends that connects to the fillingport 35 and drain port 40 on adjacent longitudinally aligned bladders12, 12′.

The bladder 12 is cylindrical in the cross-section and designed to holdapproximately 1 gallon of water 80 per 12 inches of length. When filledwith water 80, the bladder 12 is approximately 7 inches in width and 6inches in height. In the preferred embodiment, the bladder 12 is madefrom a PVC coated polyester woven sheet with a weight between 18 to 42oz. per square yard. Such material is also U.V. resistant and withstandstemperatures between minus 40 degrees F. and plus 180 degrees F. Whenthe bladder 12 is filled with water 80, the bladder 12 weighsapproximately 8 lbs per 12 inches in length which is an optimum amountof tensile force applied to a ground cover on a 20 degree sloped groundsurface for holding a 30% grade. It should be understood, that the sizeof the bladder, number of the eyelets and the spacing on the bladderdetermines the slope recommended slope grade.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features.It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown, since the means and construction shown iscomprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the inventioninto effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amendedclaims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine ofequivalents.

1. A ground cover hold down and barrier device comprising: a. a flexibleelongated bladder with a top surface and two parallel longitudinal edgesand two end surfaces, said elongated bladder being made of water tightmaterial sufficiently flexible to allow said body to be folded androlled into a compact configuration for storage or expanded into astraight configuration over a ground cover; b. at least on filling portformed on said top surface of said bladder near one said end surface; c.means for selectively closing of said filling port; d. a plurality oflaterally extending eyelets formed on said lateral edges, said eyeletsbeing located along said longitudinal edges so that when said bladder isfilled with water, said bladder has an oval cross-section configuration;e. a drain port formed on said top surface of said bladder near the endsurface opposite said filling port; and, f. means for selectivelyclosing said drain port.
 2. The ground cover hold down and barrierdevice as recited in claim 1, wherein said filling port includes anupward extended neck with external hose connector threads formed thereoncapable of connecting threaded cap.
 3. The ground cover hold down andbarrier device as recited in claim 1, wherein said drain port includesinternal threads that connect to a plug that includes external threadscapable of being connected thereto to selectively open and close saiddrain port.
 4. The ground cover hold down and barrier device as recitedin claim 1, wherein said bladder is made of PVC coated polyester wovenmaterial weighing approximately 18 to 42 oz. per square yard.
 5. Theground cover hold down and barrier device as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid bladder is sold as a kit with a plurality stakes capable of beinginserted through said eyelet and holding said bladder over a slopedground cover.
 6. The ground cover hold down and barrier device, asrecited in claim 1, wherein said drain port closing means is a two-wayvalve.
 7. The ground cover hold down and barrier device, as recited inclaim 2, wherein said drain port closing means is a two-way valve.
 8. Amethod for holding down a ground cover, comprising the following steps:a. unfolding a ground cover over a section of ground; b. selecting aground cover hold down device comprising a flexible elongated bladderthat includes two parallel longitudinal edges and two end edges, and atop surface, said bladder includes a filling port formed on said topsurface near one end edge and a drain port formed on said bladder nearthe end edge opposite said filling port, said bladder also including aplurality of laterally extending eyelets formed on said longitudinaledges of said bladder, said bladder being made of water proof materialsufficiently flexible to allow said bladder to be rolled into a compactconfiguration when drained and unfold into a straight configuration overa ground cover; c. unrolling said bladder over a desired section of saidground cover to be held downward over the section of ground so that saidtop surface faces upward; d. inserting a stake at least two said eyeletsand striking each said stake to at least partially imbed said stake intothe ground; e. opening said filling port and filling said bladder withwater; f. closing said filing port when a desired volume of water hasbeen added to said bladder; and, g. reviewing each said stake todetermine if said stake is force against said eyelet so that saidbladder is held firmly in place over said ground cover.